Center for Medieval Studies, University of Minnesota

02/26/2021

One of my favorite things to come out of the past year has been the number of "medieval memes" that have become popular. Please enjoy this article from the New Yorker:

What doomscrolling, spying on your ex, and more looked like as memes in the Middle Ages.

02/18/2021

You never know what you might find...even behind your very own walls! The owners of this popular bar in Seville recently discovered it was inside of a former 12th century hammam!

Dazzling geometric motifs dating from Almohad caliphate discovered during renovation of city’s bar

12/17/2020

Fascinating article about language preservation in Greece. When you click through - be on the lookout for audio recordings of the language of Leonidas!

The iconic city-state may have fallen nearly 2,400 years ago, but today, 2,000 people still speak the language of these ancient warriors.

11/19/2020

Consider donating to CMS to support our programming!

Illuminate the Middle Ages--Help support the activities and students of the Center for Medieval Studies

06/29/2020

Check out this post from the BBC about the 13th-century Persian poet Sa'di.

He is a beloved poet whose ripple extends far and wide. He is one of the most quoted poets in the Persian tradition, he was believed to have inspired writers like Voltaire and Emerson and one of his quotes is even embroidered on a rug in the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

He called on readers to care for the less fortunate and take stock of our needs. His most famous quote, from what some argue is the most famous Persian poem, is, “Should one member suffer pain, the rest shall, too. You who feel no sorrow for the distress of others cannot be called a human being.”

Sa’di’s remarkable poetry is perpetually modern and full of ‘benevolent wisdom’ on how to live. Joobin Bekhrad revisits the life and work of ‘the cheerer of men’s hearts’.

06/08/2020

We're big fans of marginalia over her at CMS and we're sure you are too!

This article from the BBC is a great introduction to the phenomenon and even features a video game based on some of our favorite tropes: snails, rabbits, inter-species fighting, etc.

Let's take this as an opportunity to share our favorite marginalia in the comments!

Why walking fish, knights fighting snails and mischievous monkeys give us so much insight.

04/27/2020

Check out this week's newsletter for a link to register for medieval Trivia hosted by CEMH alumna and research affiliate Dr. Katie Sisneros! Registration due by noon on 4/30.

You will also learn about a connection between social distancing efforts and Song Dynasty fashion.

   Dr. Eileen C. Chow (Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University) recently tweeted about first graders in Hangzhou, China comparing the hats that they're wearing to maintain social distancing to those worn by officials during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). She noted that they had a similar...

04/23/2020

Join us today at 4 PM central time for a CMS Digital Happy Hour! https://umn.zoom.us/j/93625706708

and join us for medieval trivia next week with Dr. Katie Sisneros! Learn more and register here: https://umn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAqceiqrDMoGNT7Lr0vZdBA_3JEQIXHcoco

04/06/2020

In this week's newsletter we share some medieval themed TV shows. In this list we have "Game of Thrones" on HBO, "Miracle Workers: Dark Ages" on TBS, "Vikings" on the History Channel, "Kaamelott" on M6 (in French), "The Last Kingdom" on Netflix, and "The Pillars of the Earth" on Starz.
Do you have a favorite that didn't make the list? Comment below!

03/26/2020

We thought you might be interested in this lunchtime lecture organized by the UMN Center for Early Modern History.

"Altered Arks/Arks as Altars: Divinity on the Move in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages,” Jennifer Awes-Freeman (United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities)

Date: Friday, March 27
Time: 12:00-1:30
https://umn.zoom.us/j/747453747

The Center for Early Modern History is in the process of converting as many of our Friday lectures as possible into digital lectures to be held via zoom. Links for these zoom meetings will be sent out each week. These talks will still be held at our regular time, from 12:00-1:30 pm, in order to he...

03/21/2020

An April 2019 storm off the coast of Wales may have revealed an ancient kingdom that is believed to have been lost 5,000 years ago.

Check out this article to learn more about how researchers from a variety of backgrounds (historians, literary scholars, archaeologists, etc.) are helping to get to the bottom of this mystery!

According to medieval legend, an ancient forest and kingdom once flourished in Wales. Now, as the result of a recent storm, the myth has been brought back to life.

03/20/2020

Our first presentation is up and running! Join us as Ben Obernolte presents the 12-century French fabliau "Brownie, the Priest's Cow" by Jean Bodel. Open the attached message from CMS to learn more.

If you're interested in presenting as part of this project, you can message us here or email us at [email protected].

Have a good weekend!